FDA proposes second round of food safety rules relating to farms

FDA to propose a second round of draft rules concerning key provisions of the Food Safety Modernization Act and seek public comments.
The rule provisions focus on water quality standards and testing, standards for using raw manure and compost, provisions affecting mixed-use facilities, and procedures for withdrawing the qualified exemption for certain farms.

Of the new proposed rules, Taylor said[3], “To achieve this goal, we believe that significant changes will be needed in key provisions of the two proposed rules affecting small and large farmers. These provisions include water quality standards and testing, standards for using raw manure and compost, certain provisions affecting mixed-use facilities, and procedures for withdrawing the qualified exemption for certain farms.

"We have heard the concern that these provisions, as proposed, would not fully achieve our goal of implementing the law in a way that improves public health protections while minimizing undue burden on farmers and other food producers.”

FDA plans to publish revised proposed rule language by early summer 2014, and will accept additional comments on those provisions at that time.

"We are encouraged that FDA took seriously the extensive input they received from produce farmers and others in the agricultural sector with respect to the proposed Produce Safety and Preventive Controls rules," said David Gombas, senior vice president of food safety and technology with United Fresh. "We appreciate FDA's willingness to rethink these provisions and propose requirements that are more science and risk based. It is critical that FDA gets these FSMA rules right, and we believe this is a step in the right direction."